The treadmill is either the most loved, or the most hated piece of equipment in the gym. At home it’s famous for changing your life, or being used as a clothes hanger.
No doubts about it though, it’s a great way to get moving, improve your cardiovascular fitness, and burn through some calories whilst rocking out to some tunes.
Let’s take a look at some important do’s and don’ts to make sure you are getting the most out of your time on the treadmill.
DO:
Do avoid watching the TV if you can help it. Whilst a great distraction, it can cause poor posture and neck crane, and ultimately deter you from really pushing yourself. Music is a great alternative to keep you motivated.
Do throw your towel over the display. There is something about the timer on the treadmill that can make 20 minutes feel like 20 hours. The results on the digital display aren’t super accurate either, so whilst a great motivator, nothing says I’m doing the hard work then muscle fatigue and some good old gulps for air. Our advice is to cover the display and just keep pushing through as best you can.
Do take a break if you need it. If you find your form is slumping, or you are leaning to one side or grabbing for the handrails, chances are you are fatigued and need to give yourself a break. You don’t want to keep running with poor posture and risk injury.
DON’T
Don’t jump on the machine and hit the same workout, the same time, everyday. Like everything, your body needs to be challenged in order to burn calories and get results. If you hit the same speed, incline and time limit every day then chances are you aren’t getting the results you could be if you kept things on rotation. How about setting yourself a different goal each day you use the machine, perhaps one day is a walking hill tackle, the next interval walk/jog and another a regular jog at pace.
Don’t hold on to the handlebars if you can help it. It may feel like a safety precaution but it will alter your full movement and limit results. Using your arms will help you burn calories, and practice great
Don’t forget to allow yourself time for warm-up and cool-down. We know your time is important, but so is looking after your muscles. Warm-up and cool-down is an important step to avoiding injury and assisting with muscle recovery.
CTA
We hope you have found our pointers helpful. If you have a treadmill you never used, let’s get started, even if it’s just a few minutes a day! Start by creating the habit and try to add extra time weekly.
